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How many push ups at age 50 are usual?

  • 05-07-2025 08:59PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭


    Just wondering, how many push ups at age 50 are usual? Or are push ups even age related?



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,262 ✭✭✭extra-ordinary_


    200



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,764 ✭✭✭KaneToad


    201



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,885 ✭✭✭893bet


    one handed or two handed?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭Annascaul


    Two handed.

    I don't exercise much, but I did 30 today. Don't know if that's much for my age or not.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,833 ✭✭✭Kaybaykwah




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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,074 ✭✭✭Dr Turk Turkelton


    I don't do push ups-I push the earth down.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,450 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    I would say the typical 50 year old can't do a single pushup, but for a 50 year old who is regularly exercising and doesn't have any mobility issues, they should be able to do multiple sets of 10 pushups before approaching failure

    Chomsky(2017) on the Republican party

    "Has there ever been an organisation in human history that is dedicated, with such commitment, to the destruction of organised human life on Earth?"



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 53,273 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Yeah, I'm reasonably fit (age 49) and don't think I've attempted a push up in over a decade. It's not a set of muscles you use that much so most people aren't particularly strong in that regard.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,218 ✭✭✭samo


    Last year I (47 ) did a 100 push up a day challenge (30 days) and did keep it going after for some time. Built up from sets of 10 to 20 and still try keep it going .. it did help with bench press as well.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 808 ✭✭✭Escapees


    A big factor is how far apart your hands are placed widthways on the ground and where they are placed lengthways relative to your chest. Depends on which muscle groups you want to focus on. Also, how slowly or quickly you do them makes a big difference, especially when lowering your body.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭tommythecat


    Also make sure you're not doing "Mickey dips"! Full plank, core tight, chest all the way to the floor and back up to full extension. Slow and measured is far better than a lot of crappy fast ones. It should take you 2 seconds to do one.

    4kwp South East facing PV System. 5.3kwh Weco battery. South Dublin City.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,337 ✭✭✭✭RMAOK




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,450 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    There are a lot of variations to the pushup.

    Hand release pushups are used by the US military in strength tests and allow for more reps as there is a slight break in each movement.

    Strict pushups are more fatiguing but people often cheat as they get tired and don't complete the full range of motion.

    If you're trying to impress people, a single handstand pushup beats a hundred strict pushups

    Chomsky(2017) on the Republican party

    "Has there ever been an organisation in human history that is dedicated, with such commitment, to the destruction of organised human life on Earth?"



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,552 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    Im 39, been working out for years and still only do them in blocks of 20.

    Would really struggle with push ups 21-30 consecutively



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,450 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    If you can do 20 pushups you'd be better off progressing to sets of 10 weighted pushups, or deficit pushups or (if you're a bit sadistic) ring pushups, than increasing your reps to strict 30 pushups

    (If only because higher reps of bodyweight exercises are more boring and time consuming for not much strength gain)

    Chomsky(2017) on the Republican party

    "Has there ever been an organisation in human history that is dedicated, with such commitment, to the destruction of organised human life on Earth?"



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 530 ✭✭✭BP_RS3813


    How long is a piece of string? Coming from a middle distance running background I know 60 year olds who are now running 17-18 minutes for 5k and beat the majority of the population young included.

    They have feck all upper body strenght however and I'd say would be lucky to get 15 push ups.

    Nothing to with age - everything to do with fitness and background regarding sport.

    Jean Claude Van Damme can still do the splits (I think) just because his flexibility was always great and he practically did a full split in most movies he is in. Probably more flexible then most still and he is pretty old.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 281 ✭✭SpoonyMcSpoon


    If you want to just work your chest you don’t need to go down too low. Just making a 90 degree angle with your elbow is fine for a good chest push up. If you could do 50 push-ups like that it is quite good.

    Would say that a good general fitness test would be push-ups, pull-ups, burpees and 5k time. If you can do these four things regularly and get decent strength/fitness in each then you would have a good fitness base at any age! Something like at least 50 press-ups without stopping; 40 burpees, 15 pull-ups and under 25 mins for a 5k (not one exercise after the other, just in general).



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 140 ✭✭Annascaul


    The only reason, I started doing them, is they are a great exercise for the upper body and the reduce any form of back pain for me. After 20 or so, it gets more difficult, 30 I can only do on a good day, but 25 or 27 are around my average. I am certainly no fitness guru, but push don't seem to be something wrong to do.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 foolhardy


    Are push ups any good for reducing breast size? I'm 52 and not fit or strong



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,158 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    with a weights vest or just bodyweight? 😉



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,158 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    This is true.
    Increasing the variation difficulty and adding extra weight in a backpack or vest once you’ve mastered the form of that variation is the key.
    Ring push ups with elevated feet (on a bench) with a 10Kg vest and you would be lucky to get 5 even though you might be able to lash out 20 bodyweight normal push ups.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,423 ✭✭✭positron


    I did this about a year ago - got up to 100 a day over two months, felt strong, and went 120-140 some days. Shoulders looked the business (rest was typical dad bod.. still) and then one day I tore something just under the right shoulder on the arm and it hurt like hell for weeks. It healed over a number of months, but I haven't been able to do a single push up to this day.

    Moral of the story - don't be me.



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